Arizona has speed-trap plan to ease budget shortfall

Associated Press

Published
4:00 am PST, Sunday, January 20, 2008

Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano says the deployment of new photo radar or other speed enforcement technology on state highways is all about public safety, but her proposed state budget counts on the anticipated speeding fines to help erase a projected revenue shortfall.

The statewide proposal, submitted to the Legislature late Friday, anticipates first-year revenue of $120 million in revenue, netting $90 million after expenses. Even bigger dollar amounts are expected in future years.

The state faces a projected revenue shortfall of at least $1.2 billion in the fiscal year that starts July 1.

Some states use photo radar and similar technology on a limited basis in areas such as construction zones, but experts said Arizona is in the vanguard of moving toward a widespread deployment of speed technology on highways.

"It wasn't designated primarily for revenue generation, but since we have it (and) it works, we want to move statewide," Napolitano said. "We made that decision before the whole budget issue arose. Now we take advantage of it and use it for law enforcement highway safety purposes."

The plan pushed by Napolitano, a Democrat, needs approval by the Republican-led Legislature, and one key lawmaker expressed immediate opposition.

"I don't know whether Arizonans want to be policed by cameras," said Senate Transportation Chairman Ron Gould, adding that he plans legislation to require that voters decide the issue. "It smacks of Big Brother to me."

Proposals calling for even limited use of cameras have run into opposition in some states.

A year ago, Napolitano cited results from suburban Scottsdale's use of fixed cameras on a stretch of state freeway when she directed the state Department of Public Safety to begin researching the possible use of new speed enforcement devices.

An Arizona State University professor who studied the Scottsdale project found that it reduced speeding and accident rates. That system uses sensors embedded in the freeway to activate cameras that photograph speeding vehicles. Motor vehicle records are checked to find the vehicles' owners, ultimately leading to citations for identified drivers.